


Nicknames

by xanderbot13



Series: Photographic Memories [2]
Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: A Pinch of Angst, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Mild Sexual Content, More Fluff, Pre-Canon, Unrequited Love, but not the main one don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-21 03:15:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16151375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanderbot13/pseuds/xanderbot13
Summary: At 9S' request, 2B opens up about her past and allows him to see all of her memories with him:A memory about the origins of the nickname "Nines."





	1. Intoxicating

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise, I'm not dead! Yet. Sorry it took so long, I haven't been too well haha. Alright, have fun reading this s̶h̶i̶t̶p̶o̶s̶t̶ masterpiece.  
> Song: I Don't Want to Set the World On Fire by The Ink Spots
> 
> Warning: mildly sexual content after **** asterisks

_\+ Ready?_

_-  Yes, ma’am!_

_+  Don’t call me that..._

_-  Hehe, I know I know, just teasing you._

_+  ...Okay then. I think I know what I’ll show you first. It might be a bit of a surprise..._

_-  Awesome, let’s see it then!_

 

**Loading memory files...**

 

A cold breeze blows over their skin, ruffling their hair and torn clothes. The sky slowly turns a light shade of grey. They rest atop of a tall building, watching the lifeless city from above. The Goliath class machine they had just taken down had almost zapped all of their energy, so they take it easy for now after having patched up their wounds. 2B sits on the edge, crossed legged. 9S sits beside her, close enough to touch, but never close enough. She catches him staring at her bandaged forearm with worry in his face and sighs. 

“I’m fine, 9S. No need to keep fussing. It was just a scratch.” It annoys her when he gets like this. Even after having taken care of every wound and little scratch, he still fussed over everything. But in a way, it also makes her feel...warm. An indescribable warm feeling inside.

“Alright, alright. Just...making sure it’s well bandaged, that’s all.”

“Mm.”

He sighs. “That one really put up a long fight, huh? It’s like they’re getting smarter and stronger every time.”

She looks up at him. 

He’s looking down at the city pensively. “Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know. I try not to dwell on such things. Our only goal is to eradicate them.”

“Yeah, but. Don’t you think it’s a bit interesting? It seems like their mechanisms are slowly evolving. Or maybe it’s just this particular machine that has these advanced features. Such information could be vital.”

“Hm...I suppose you’re right. Still, it’s not part of our current job to investigate such things at the moment.”

“Yeah I know, but doesn’t it make you feel even a  _little_  intrigued?” He looks at her with a small smile on his face. 

She tears her gaze away from him. She doesn’t want to see that smile. She doesn’t wanna see it fade away. “Emotions are prohibited.” 

She doesn’t see his face fall, but out of the corner of her eye, she sees his shoulders slump. He lets out a long sigh. “Yeah, yeah.”

“One-”

“Affirmation will suffice, I  _know_ ,” he throws his head back in exasperation.

She shakes her head, fighting the faintest trace of a smile. He notices.

“I know you do that on purpose,” He says.

“Do what?” She turns her gaze back to him.

“ _That,_ ” he smirks.

“And what might  _that_  be?”

“You’re  _always_  teasing the living hell out of me. Even if it’s subtle, do you really think I don’t notice?” He cocks his head to the side, giving her a cheeky grin. 

She sighs and gazes back at the city. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, 9S.” Her posture is nonchalant, but the twitching corner of her lip betrays her facade.

He snickers. “Suuure,” he leans back and supports himself with his hands on the floor behind him. 

They fall into comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other’s company as they look out into the vacant city below. The wind blows a bit stronger as more clouds float slowly into view. 

“Say, 2B? What’s your favorite color?” He speaks suddenly.

She quirks her eyebrow under her visor and looks at him briefly. She wants to smile so badly, but instead she looks away. “I don’t have one.”

“C’mon, I’m sure you must have one?”

“I don’t.”

"Alriiight...what about, uh, favorite movie?”

“I don’t watch movies. It’s an unproductive pass time.”

“Aww, but they’re so interesting and entertaining! I’m sure you’d like it. We should watch one sometime, just so you can try. There’s an old saying humans use for that pass time. They call it ‘Netflix and chill,’ or something like that. What do you say?” He offers with a smile.

“I say we have better things to do.”

“Hm..” his smile turned into a lopsided grimace as he thought for a moment. “So uh...What about favorite food?”

“We don’t need to eat to survive, and besides...the end result is disgusting.”

He chuckles, “that may be true, but still, sometimes it’s fun to try different foods. There’s all different kinds of them, and did you know that humans from every part of the world had very specific recipes pertaining to the region they lived in? It was like, a part of every culture. It’s interesting, right?”

“I suppose,” she mutters.

“I’ve actually been trying to replicate an Old World recipe. It’s not as simple as it seems, but I hope I’ll get it right one of these days. When I do, would you like to try it?” He asks, hopeful. 

She hesitates. “What kind of food is it?”

“The humans called it, ‘Fish and Chips,’ and it basically consists of fried battered fish and sliced potatoes. I’ll make it extra tasty, just for you,” he replies with a smile.

“Hm...” she considers for a moment.

“Besides, it’s a very nutritious dish, and it can give you a good energy boost, which of course helps in combat and mission efficiency,” he persuades.

She looks at him knowingly and can’t help the tiny curve at the edge of her lips. It’s only the ghost of a smile, but it’s there. “Alright. But just once.”

His grin widens and she swears he’s glowing. “You’re going to love it, I promise! I’ll do my very best,” he swings his legs back and forth with glee.

“I’m sure,” she let’s her guard down for a fraction of a second and allows her lips to quirk up slightly. She actually smiles this time. It’s still small, but it’s noticeable.

He let’s out a soft gasp, but doesn’t comment on it. He just keeps smiling, and swinging his legs slightly. “Hey, 2B?” 

“Yes?”

“I...” he stops and looks down at the small gap between them and scoots just less than an inch closer. “I just, I mean. Being totally honest, I really enjoy being with you. I know it’s only been a few weeks since we were partnered up, but, I feel like I’ve known you for quite a while now. It’s strange, isn’t it?” He lets out a nervous laugh. “But, what I mean to say is...I really cherish the time I spend with you. You’re like...my best friend,” he mutters in a nearly inaudible voice as a faint, pink tinge appears on his cheeks. 

A sudden pang of guilt hits her chest. She wants so badly to reach out to him and...but no. She can’t. It would make everything worse. The pain is too much. She shuts her eyes tightly and turns her head away. Emotions are prohibited. “9S...”

“B-before you say what I know you’re gonna say, I just...please let me have this one moment. Just this once,” he begs. “I’m sorry I’m not as good as you at keeping my emotions in check. I swear I’m trying...I just...” he trails off.

She stays silent in reply. It feels wrong to not reprimand him for displaying emotions, but... just  this once, at his request. She doesn’t know what to say either way. She keeps making the same mistakes. She sees them coming, and yet, she repeats them. Over and over. He’s like a slippery slope. Her Achilles heel. 

He sighs and turns his gaze back to the building rooftops and the skyline in front of them. “I’m just glad I’m not alone anymore. You know, you’re the first person I’ve ever been close to. That’s why I think the word ‘friend’ is a close enough description. Even though you try to be distant and only stick to the rules, I can tell you have fun too sometimes. I really like being with you, 2B,” he smiles softly and pauses for a moment. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but, do you...consider me a friend?” He asks tentatively.

She doesn’t answer right away, at a loss for words. She should cut him off, tell him to stop being emotional, stop looking for any form of affection where there should be none.  _Should_. But after everything he just spilled out, she can’t bring herself to do it. Not now. In the end, she settles for the truth. 

“Yes,” she whispers. _That, and so much more..._

He gasps softly. There’s a pause, and then slowly, he reaches down and faintly grazes her hand with the tips of his fingers before he places his own hand on top of hers gently. “I’m glad,” he mutters, and she can’t see it, but if she were facing him, she’s sure she would see the sweetest smile on his face. 

She turns her gaze back to him, and there it is, bright as ever. It tugs at her chest, makes her feel both warm and cold inside. It’s such a simple feeling, stuck in such a convoluted situation. She forces out a half smile for his sake, knowing fully well that she would have to betray him sooner or later when the order came, and knowing fully well that although this moment would not last forever, the memory of his smile would. 

Before either of them have the chance to say anything, a loud crash of thunder booms in the near distance. They both turn their gazes up at the sky to see thick, dark clouds of rain looming over them. 

Pod 042’s little speaker pops out suddenly. “Observation: atmospheric temperature has dropped significantly in the past hour. Humidity levels rising. 96% probability of rain. Proposal: seek shelter.”

9S sighs and turns to look back at 2B. “I guess we should head back to camp before we get caught in the rain,” he says as he starts getting up. “Here,” he offers her a hand with a smile. 

She takes it hesitantly and stands up. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” he grins, holding on to her hand a little longer than needed. She didn’t mind at all.

“Let’s go then,” she says as she holds on to her pod and starts gliding down to the ground, with 9S following suit. 

They jog through the deserted city for a few minutes as colossal rain clouds threaten them from above with thunder rumbling and echoing closer and closer. Soon enough, it starts drizzling. They break into a run, but before they can even get close to camp, the drizzle turns into a heavy downpour. There’s fog everywhere they look, it swallows the road ahead and makes it impossible to see where they’re heading. For a moment, they stand there shivering in the middle of the street, before 2B gestures for him to follow her into a building close by. There, they go to the far back where there’s no openings, and sit down in the corner, side by side. It’s hard to see in the dim light, but it’s dry and comfortable enough to stay in for the meantime. 

9S groans as he pulls up his legs to his chest. “Man, I could really use a bath right now. Dirt and rain don’t go well. I feel all sticky and gross,” he complains as he pulls down his damp visor, letting it hang around his neck, and leans back against the wall.

2B just sighs, pressing her legs close together, and hugs her arms tightly. Despite it being made of a durable material, her dress had been completely ruined in the last battle. Her skirt was torn here and there, her right sleeve had been completely torn off, and the other one had holes everywhere. The icy wind flowing into the building brushes her cold, damp skin and clothes, causing her to shiver more. YoRHa androids deployed in the Kingdom of Day are built to be more heat resistant since they spend much of their time exposed to the sun. However, this makes them slightly more vulnerable to cold temperatures. 

“Hey, 2B, you’re shivering,” 9S notices. 

“I’ll be fine,” she replies.

“No, hold on,” he leans forward and starts unbuttoning his tattered coat.

“9S, there's no need-"

“You’re freezing, 2B! I can see it. You’re so stubborn, you know?” He chuckles as he shrugs off the coat and offers it to her. “Here. I’m sorry it’s not in the best condition, but it’ll keep you warm for now. I’ll make do with my shirt,” he smiles. 

She looks into his eyes for a brief second. He only ever takes his visor off during down time, but it still feels like such a rare sight. His eyes are lovely. Her cheeks grow warm and she’s thankful for the dim lighting. She looks down at the coat and hesitates for a few seconds before taking it. “Thanks,” she mumbles before slipping her arms into the sleeves and buttoning it up. She sighs, relishing in the warmth of the coat.

“Better?” He asks, leaning back against the wall and hugging his legs closer.

She nods and leans back as well. 

He smiles. “Oh! I almost forgot,” he says as he pulls out his item menu in search of something. “801S was selling this thing he said was for regulating body temperature during cold weather, that way our internal systems won’t be damaged.” he selects one of the items and a bottle with a strange, purple liquid materializes in his hands. “I only had a small sip to taste it the first time, but I haven’t actually tried its effects. The stuff he gives me usually works though, so, wanna give it a try with me?” He unscrews the lid and offers her the bottle. 

“Are you sure it’s safe to drink this?” She looks at it suspiciously.

“Well, it’s not lethal or anything,” he jokes, “he did say it sometimes causes a few strange side effects though, but he said they’re nothing to worry about.”

“What kind of side effects?”

“Besides a slight dizziness, I don’t really know, but don’t worry, 801S is trustworthy. He wouldn’t give me anything defective, I promise,” he gives her a reassuring smile.

“Hm...alright then. If it does what you say it does, then I suppose it’s fine,” she says as she hesitantly takes the bottle from him and stares at the clear, purple liquid.

She sniffs it. It has a sweet, warm scent. It seems alright, so she lifts the bottle to her lips and takes a small sip. It’s sweet, silky, and warm in her mouth. Maybe slightly bitter, but it leaves a soft, burning sensation that seems to spread throughout her whole body. It feels good. The after taste is sweet and fresh. She takes another sip, a bit larger this time, and hands it back to 9S.

“How is it?” He asks, taking it from her.

“It does give a warm sensation.”

“It’s good, isn’t it?” He grins and takes a swig. 

“Mm,” she agrees. 

“You can take as much as you want,” he says, rubbing his arm with his free hand. She notices his jaw quivering slightly. 

She shakes her head. “You go ahead first, you’re colder.”

“Hehe, I’ll be fine 2B. But, thanks,” he smiles and takes a couple more sips. He sighs and leans his head back, relaxing his shoulders. “Here,” he hands the bottle back to her. 

She reaches for it, and just as she’s about to grab it, her fingers graze his own. She bites her lower lip and takes the bottle from him quickly. She tentatively brings it up to her lips again and sips once before taking a few small swigs. That warm feeling keeps spreading throughout her body, making her inner temperature slowly rise back to normal. 

“Hey, easy there. If you drink it too quickly, you’ll overdo it,” he says in a gentle voice, reaching out and lowering the bottle from her lips. 

“Didn’t you  _just_  say I could take as much as I want?” 

“Well, yeah, but slowly, or else it could have adverse reactions.”

She sighs as she hands him back the bottle. 

He chuckles as he takes it from her and sips from it. “You really like it, don’t you?”

“I find it’s effects useful,” she replies flatly. 

“Yeah, but it also feels really good, doesn’t it?” He grins softly. “It’s starting to warm me up I think. At least I’m not freezing anymore,” he sighs.

“That’s good to hear,” she mutters. 

He takes a few more sips and hands the bottle back to her. They take turns like that for a good while as 9S makes some small talk to pass the time. He happily tells her about all his new discoveries, the books he’s reading, the movies he’s watched, and all sorts of random data he’s collected from the Old World. At one point he tells his pod to play some of the music files he had found while snooping around old human data. He’s got enough in his library to listen to for entire weeks. He names every song and artist for her and tells her all about the different kinds of sound technology humans have.

Though she doesn’t say much, she quietly listens to every word he says, even if she doesn’t understand some things or doesn’t find everything as interesting. Still, she enjoys this. Being here, with him, feels so warm and nice despite the harsh weather outside. She starts to feel a little strange after some time, but it’s not unpleasant. On the contrary, it feels nothing short of amazing. She feels like every single one of her senses is heightened. Colors are brighter, the smell of the rain and earth is stronger. The taste of their purple drink is suddenly so much better. There’s a hint of something else in there too, a very faint foreign taste, both salty and sweet. It makes all the difference though. It’s intoxicating. Sounds are also clearer and they resonate deep within her, sending slight shivers down her spine. Everything sounds so melodious, specially his voice. 

It’s so soothing, and she would gladly spend the rest of her life here, just listening to him. Pretending, for just a moment, that there wasn’t a war going on, and they were just...regular people. Doing regular people things. Like listening to the lovely tune playing at the moment from the speakers of his pod. Like simply sitting together and watching the rain and sharing a drink. Like letting him hesitantly slither his hand into hers and intertwine their fingers together as he talked about his favorite things. It’s just...for heat conservation, she tells herself.

He scoots closer, less than an inch away from her. A new song starts playing. It’s a catchy tune, a  _guitar_ , she recalls, being plucked. 

“Oh, 2B, listen t’ this one! S’ one of my favorites,” he beams and squeezes her hand softly. 

She tenses up for a moment, but soon relaxes at the sight of his smile. She registers the voice of a man singing something about...fire? She quirks her eyebrow. The lyrics don’t make sense to her at all. Why would anyone want to set the world on fire? Or burn a heart, for that matter. Wouldn’t that be lethal? Humans make no sense sometimes. She turns her gaze to 9S as she hears him crack up. 

“I know, s’ a strange song, but th’ words aren’t literal. Is all a metaphor to try t’ describe a praticlular- p-particular feeling the singer is trying to express,” he explains, seemingly having read her mind. His words are coming up slightly slurred. Maybe a bug in his vocal system?

“I see...” 

He smiles faintly and taps his foot to the rhythm. She forgets herself for a split second and smiles right back. He starts singing along softly.

 

_“I’ve lost all ambition_

_for worldly acclaim_

_I jus wanna be th’ one you love_

_And wif your admission_

_that you’d feel the same_

_I’ll have reachd the goal m dreamin of,_

_believe me_

 

_I dun wanna set thworld on fire_

_I just want to start a flame in your heart”_

 

The song ends, but he sings one last verse.

 

_“In my heart I have but one desire_

_And that one...is you...no other will do...”_

 

He looks at her through half lidded eyes and with an adorable, crooked grin on his lips. Her pulse rises for a second, and she notices just how close he is now when he sighs and his warm breath tickles her face. He hesitantly reaches behind her head with his free hand and touches the knot of her visor, looking at her tentatively. Her mind screams  _NO_. But for some reason, she can’t, or won’t, stop him. She knows she shouldn’t, but she allows it. She gives a small nod, and he pulls on it to loosen it up and remove it. He delicately places her visor on her lap and locks his eyes with hers for the first time in what feels like an eternity. He flashes her a saccharine smile, looking at her dreamily. A faint shade of pink dusts his nose and cheeks. Whether it’s because of the cold, the effects of the drink, or something else, she can’t tell, feeling a little disoriented herself. Heat crawls up to her face as her pulse rate rises again. He squeezes her hand gently and with his other hand reaches up to touch her face, but stops just shy of making contact. His hand hovers over her skin for a few seconds before his fingertips graze lightly over her cheek. She shudders slightly and closes her eyes. 

_We shouldn’t..._

_This is...it’s so warm...feels nice..._

He ventures to softly stroke her cheek again. She opens her eyes and parts her lips, but doesn’t say anything. 

_No it’s wrong it’s wrong it’s wrong so. wrong._

_But he_

_He’s so bright and...beautiful_

_He’s smiling_

_I want him_

_No. Stop. This is...wrong but...feels so good..._

 

_So warm...I want..._

 

_I want..._

 

Something is off. Her subsystems must be malfunctioning. A virus? No, those hurt. A lot. This is...a pleasant kind of strange. She feels it, but it’s so hard to stay focused. Why are they here anyway? Oh, right, the rain. She smiles unconsciously as he brushes his fingers over her jawline. She leans into the touch. He leans in closer, until their foreheads are against each other. He just stares into her eyes for a moment, before breaking the silence.

“Hey, 2B?” He mutters, barely above a whisper.

“Hm?” She hums.

“Y’know wha would be nice?”

“What?”

“If we had nicknames foweach other,” he breathes.

She snickers lightly, making him smile. “Whu kinda nicknames?”

“Dunno...y’make one up for me, and I’ll do th same for you,” he says.

“Hmm...’d be nice, but, walready have our designations. Should benough,” she sighs.

“But it’d be fuuun,” he frowns slightly.

She chuckled softly.  _Fuuun..._  “Emotions ‘r prohibit-”

He interrupts her by pressing his index finger to her lips. “Shhh,” he chuckles, “we dun hav t' tell anyone. We’ll be th only ones tknow our ssecret names. Whu do you say?” He grins.

“Nuuh, s’not a good idea...could...be bad...” she sighs.  _Could get too attached._

“2Beee,” he pouts slightly. “C’mon, hhwould it be bad, if is jus a thing between us two?”

“Hhhnnnines, dun argue with me,” she groans and furrows her brow softly. “Dun like it when we argue.”

He suddenly burst out laughing. 

She lifts an eyebrow in confusion. “W’ so funny?”

“Wut did you jus call me?  _Mice?_ ” He snorts and almost chokes laughing. 

“Nuh, Ah said nine nz,” she lets out a giggle at her own inability to pronouns anything. 

She has no idea what’s happening to her, why the world seems so fuzzy and so bright, why her speech pattern is coming out jumbled, why she can’t seem to hold anything back, and she’s screaming for help in the back of her mind, but for now, she ignores it. It’s not even a decision. She simply forgets why anything else was ever important. This moment, here and now, is just. Too good. 

“ _Nice?_ ” He says in a shaky voice as he tries to contain his laughter. 

“ _Nines!_ ” She lets out a breathy laugh, followed by quiet giggles, and then finally she allows the waves of unbridled laughter to take control of her, making her shoulders shake and gasp for air. 

He joins her, and soon, both of their laughter fills the vacant building, echoing on the walls and ceiling. His joyous laughter rings in her auditory processors, making her feel alive. Her abdomen starts hurting, but she can’t stop herself now. All the anguish and pain in her melts away, like snow in the sun, at least for a while. A while of frivolous joy. A fraction of time away from chaos and destruction. Just a tiny moment in time. With him. It’s a beautiful lie, a hopeful glimpse into an improbable future. Nonetheless, she revels in it. 

As their laughter subsides, he scoots closer until their legs are touching and he rests his head on her shoulder. She gasps, surprised at the sudden contact, but she welcomes it as she reciprocates, nestling her head on top of his. 

“So, ‘Nines’?” He smiles and squeezes her hand gently. “Has a nice ring t’ it hahah, ah like it.”

“Nines,” she tries and lets out a breathy laugh. “Thas it then. M callinn you that frm now on. Nines,” she sighs contentedly. 

“Hehehe, say it again,” he closes his eyes and grins. 

“Nines,”

“Again.”

“Niiiines,” she lets out a soft giggle.

He chuckles under his breath. “Hey, but wuttabout you? Wha should I call you?”

“I like 2B. Y’ dun need to gimme another nicknem,” she replies, almost defensively.

“But thas your desugnation,” he protests. “I wann give yareal name...a sweet one...” 

“I...like this one,” she sighs, “I like how you say it, ehvry time. I like it a lot. S’ nice. Feels so warm. Like home...” she mutters in a small voice, nuzzling the top of his head lightly. 

After all, she was only ever really 2B when she was with him. He was the only one who really saw her as 2B. Of course she loves it. It was just another pretty lie, but it was one that she hoped would become truth one day. But she can’t tell him that.

“Heh, alright. I think I get whatchu mean. 2Beee,” he says in a sing-song voice.

She smiles and squeezes his hand ever so slightly. He squeezes it back and strokes the back of her hand with his thumb.

“...again?” She asks tentatively.

“2B,” his lips quirk up into a tiny smile as he turns his head towards her neck and upwards to whisper in her ear, “2Beee,” he grins, and she can feel his lips tickling the shell of her ear. 

A shiver goes down her spine and she smiles softly. 

“2Bee,” he keeps whispering her name as he faintly drags his lips down her earlobe and jawline. Her eyes close and she lets out a soft, content sigh. “2Beee...2B...2Bee...Two..Beee...2B, 2B, 2B...”  his lips reach her chin and stops. He’s shaking slightly. 

“...Nines?” She mutters and flutters her eyes open. 

“Hm?”

She leans her head down just enough for her lips to hover directly over his. Her eyes go out of focus. Her pulse rate rises. She closes the gap just enough to let her lips lightly brush against his. 

He pulls back a tiny bit and gasps. His eyes go wide, but she still doesn’t move, just keeps her eyes locked to his. Once he recovers, he leans back in slowly, until their lips are close enough. His upper lip brushes over hers timidly. Her lips quirk up in a tiny grin, then all at once, he presses his full lips against hers. She squeezes his hand and kisses him back with just as much eagerness. By now, all her logic and rationale are stuffed deep down and all she knows right now is that she wants this. She wants this. She wants this so bad. She wants him, she loves him. Nothing matters, just him.

She reaches up to run her hands through his silky hair as he caresses her face. His lips are so clumsy and sloppy at first, but with a little bit of guidance, he soon learns what she likes and kisses her at a gentler pace. He takes her bottom lip between his teeth and nibbles on it tenderly. A soft, quiet moan escapes her and she curses mentally. He goes back and forth between strong, tender kisses, nibbling, and sucking gently on her lips. The feeling drives her mad with pleasure and she pushes him against the wall and crashes their lips together again. He lets out a quiet moan, and she can’t help but smirk as she sucks on his lower lip. He gasps and clutches her shoulder tightly. She runs her hands up and down his chest slowly, feeling every muscle, every curve, scar, and indentation through his thin undershirt as she continues to kiss him like her life depends on it. 

****

His hands move to tangle up in her hair as her kisses and touches become more fervent than before. She moves to straddle his lap and pulls him flush against her chest. He breaks the kiss for a moment as he lets out a loud gasp, before she dives back in and captures his lips with hers once again. His soft moans are muffled by her lips, which she can’t get enough of. She shudders with pleasure at his every touch. His hands travel slowly up and down her back, and even through the thick fabric of his coat, she can feel the warmth of his touch. She breaks from their kiss and let’s out a light gasp as he massages her shoulders, and the sheer pleasure from it is almost too much. But never enough. She wants more.

His hot breath sends shivers down her spine as he drags his lips down to her chin and starts trailing light kisses up her jawline. She bites down on her lip and struggles to keep her breathing steady as he moves further down and presses his lips firmly to her neck, right on top of her jugular. Her rapid pulse beats right against his lips, making it increase at an alarming rate. He tentatively swipes the tip of his tongue to this particular spot, before he presses an open mouthed kiss to her tender skin and sucks on it delicately.

“Ah, Nines,” she gasps and wraps her arms around his back to pull him closer. 

He smiles against her and slowly rakes his teeth over her skin before he gently bites down and sucks hard. She fails at holding back a loud moan and digs her nails into his back. It feels so  _good_. A low grunt forms in the back of his throat and he bites down harder, eliciting more sounds of pleasure from her. Her whole body feels like it’s burning up inside. It’s a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but it dims in comparison to the overwhelming pleasurable sensations he’s causing her to feel. She feels like her whole surroundings are spinning, or like they’re both floating in some unknown part of the galaxy, just the two of them. As far as she’s concerned at the moment, him and her are the only existing creatures in the universe. 

“Alert: Pulse rate increasing. Inner temperature abnormally high. Suggestion: cease physical contact immediately,” Pod 042 blares out suddenly. 

2B gasps as 9S grunts and lets go of her neck reluctantly. “Shuddup Idontcare,” she briefly looks up and glares in her pod’s direction before she pulls 9S back in for a kiss. 

He doesn’t complain as she takes his lower lip between her teeth and sucks on it as she tightens her grip on his back and gently pulls on his hair to lean his head further back. His soft moans are swallowed up by her hungry lips, and she revels in those lovely sounds. He is hers, and hers alone. As well as she is his, entirely, and eternally. All she can think about at the moment is him. No one can ever take him away from her. Her Nines.

The moment her hands snake beneath his shirt, he gasps and whispers her name in the most endearing way. It prompts her to smile against his lips and shower his entire face with gentle kisses as her hands explore his back, feeling his soft, hot skin. 

“Alert: Pulse rate accelerating. Inner temperature reaching dangerous levels. Suggestion: cease physical-”

“Pod 153, activatmutemode,” 9S mumbles as 2B remains unperturbed, continuing to pepper him with kisses. 

2B pushes his head further back and brings her lips down to kiss his jawline. She moves further south to kiss and nip at his neck, causing him to gasp her name yet again. She feels her pulse rate reaching an abnormally high speed, which would usually only happen during a long battle with multiple enemies, and barely registers her body feeling slightly numb due to excessive heat, but she hopes her heat sinks do their job as she pushes the thought to the back of her mind, like all the others.

For the moment, she simply devotes herself to him and this rare moment of pure, unrestrained emotion. She can’t exactly _name_  it, she doesn’t know what kind of feeling it is, or how many. But she knows it’s growing at an impossible rate, and she can feel it spreading throughout her entire body, emanating from the center of her chest, sprouting from her lower abdomen, melting like lava inside her head, and reaching every nerve, all the way down to her fingertips. 

His own hands slowly slip beneath the borrowed coat and her torn top, sending shivers down her spine as his hands roam her back and sides, softly caressing her as he kissed her hair and any part of her within reach. Her lips lavish his neck and collarbone with kisses. She sucks and nips and bites at his lovely, warm, supple skin, leaving small, purplish marks here and there. He let’s out a rather loud moan when her hips accidentally brush against a certain tightness in his shorts. 

“S-sorry,” she mumbles, thinking it might have hurt, but he shakes his head. 

“No, p-please...c-can you do that again?” He asks sheepishly while hiding his face in the crook of her neck. 

She smirks and continues to bite and suck on his neck and collarbone, making him gasp. Her hands hold his back steady as she gently presses herself even closer and moves her hips, brushing over that sensitive spot again. He grunts and tightens his grip on her. She slowly starts to grind on that spot, enjoying the melodic sounds of his soft gasps and moans. 

“2...2Beee...aaahh,” he seems like he’s melting at her every touch. He diggs his nails into her back and squeezes her tighter.

“Ngh, Nines!” She gasps.

She feels that burning, itching sensation growing in her abdomen and between her legs, spurring her to move her hips faster. It’s something she has never experienced before, and part of her wants to worry about it being harmful, but how could it be harmful if it was so _intoxicatingly good?_  

She cries out his name as that feeling starts to burn and sear all over, tearing through her every organ, muscle, and bone. The heat keeps spreading through her whole body and it sets aflame everything inside of her. She feels like she’s literally burning up inside, and it’s horrifyingly painful, but oh, so  _exquisitely_ amazing, and even if she wanted to, she can’t stop herself now. 

She increases her pace and tears 9S’ shirt off, desperate to feel more of him. She can barely feel her numb hands anymore, but she does her best to touch and kiss every part of him, just to feel his skin against hers. His moans and cries sound distant now, and static starts to appear in her vision, but she doesn’t stop. She doesn’t stop when he cries out particularly loud and it turns to a jumbled mess of sounds in her hearing receptors. She doesn’t stop when she can’t feel her arms anymore, but keeps holding him tightly anyway. She doesn’t stop when all the alert signs go of in her head. She doesn’t stop when the scorching heat sears right through her chest and burns a hole through her skin. 9S just holds on to her tighter, so she keeps going, touching him, feeling him, crying out his name, until she can’t anymore. 

Suddenly, her entire vision shuts off, and the last thing she hears is his voice shouting her name, before it too cuts off abruptly. 

****

 

Black Box: offline

 

Death report: 

Failure of all systems and circuitry no longer operational due to excessive heat. Combustion of black box.

Time of death: 17:29 

Initiating personal data sync onto new body...

 

5%...

 

13%...

 

Loading...69 years remaining...

 

29%...

 

58%...

 

2 minutes remaining...

 

70%...

 

100%

 

Black Box: online


	2. Unravelling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love 2B to the stars and back, but I gotta admit. I'm a little gay for 801S.

When she comes back online, her motor functions, speech and vision are still disabled. Her touch sensors tell her she’s on a soft surface, most likely a bed.

“Alright, maintenance complete. You can get up now, pretty boy,” Says a familiar, honeyed voice not too far from her. She hears a grunt and some shuffling.

“Morning, sunshine. That was quite a stunt you pulled. Gotta admit though, that must be one of the most glorious ways to go,” that same voice snickers. She’s heard it before. It’s one of the scanners, but he sounds a lot different without that professional tone he usually uses. It’s mischievous. Almost flirty.

“This was entirely your fault, 801S! You  _told_  me that drink was harmless,” She hears Nines’ voice reply angrily. Nines...9S. 

The past few hours come back to her and hit her like a ton of bricks. Her pulse rate rises like her black box is about to blow up again. No no no no no...that had to have been a dream. She would never allow herself to go that far. Right?

“Now, hold on a second. I didn’t tell you to drink the whole thing in one go. I told you to use it only when it was necessary, and to be cautious and take it slow. And I definitely did  _not_ tell you to go fooling around like that with your  _darling dearest_  now, did I? If anyone is at fault here, it’s you, pretty boy,” 801S replies.

“H-how do you even know about-? Oh no...you did not. Tell me you didn’t,” 9S says, sounding on edge. 

“Didn’t what?” 801S asks casually. 

“Look at the playback memory.”

There’s a brief silence, and then 801S snorts. 

“801S!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I just,” he lets out a short laugh, “when I saw the death report, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of thing might have fried all your circuits like that, and in such cold weather,” he chuckles. “It was for research purposes.”

“Research purposes, my ass. I’m going to make you pay for this,” 9S says sternly.

“Is that a promise?” 801S taunts.

Silence. 

801S giggles. “Why so serious, pretty boy? You seemed like you had a good time? Too bad you died before getting to the good part,” he teases.

2B feels her face grow hot from embarrassment at the conversation. How the hell had this gone so far? 

“I-I...ngh. Just stay out of this, will you? What happened is none of your concern.”

“Alright...Niiines~” 

“Shut up!”

“I thought you liked that nickname? In all honesty, I think it’s rather cute. Nines~”

“I said don’t call me that. That’s only between me and-”

“Her?” he sighs. “Alright, alright, I get it. Have it your way, pretty boy,” he mutters with a hint of bitterness in his voice. 

“And stop calling me that too. I’ve told you that before,” 9S says.

“Fine then, sunshine,” 801S replies slyly. 

9S groans. “No.”

“Sweetheart?”

“No.”

“Cutie?”

“ _No_.”

“Darling?”

_“NO. Would you cut it out already?"_ 9S snaps. “I’m  _really_  not in the mood for your stupid weird antics right now. Or _ever_ , if I’m honest. You’re really  _grossing_  me out. Just please. Stop pestering me. I’m not exactly happy with you at the moment,” he says in a harsh tone. 

For once, 801S doesn’t say anything. There’s a long silence. 

9S sighs, “Don’t look at me like that,” he says in a softer tone. “I won’t fall for it. You know what you did was wrong.” There’s a pause. “Look, I’ll forgive you for what happened, I admit it was partly my fault. But you shouldn’t have looked at the playback. Even if it is technically legal, you violated my privacy  _and_ 2B’s, and I do not appreciate that.”

“I’m sorry,” 801S mutters in a tiny voice after a moment. So unlike the teasing, flirty tone from before. It’s almost like a whole different person was speaking. “I didn’t know I would find that. And, I was just genuinely curious about your cause of death. I didn’t mean to pry...” he says, sounding pretty sincere.

There’s another short silence. 

“Fine,” 9S sighs. “But don’t do that again. Protocol states you have to ask permission before viewing anyone’s playback memories, so I would really appreciate it if you did that. Besides, you could have just asked after my maintenance. You know I’m always willing to talk about anything.”

“Would you really have told me?” 

“Well...obviously not the entire story. But...”

“Something more akin to an excuse?”

“N-no! I...look. Truth is this was  _none_  of your fucking business-”

“But it was!” He snaps. “I am in charge of your maintenance, 9S, and if there was  _anything_  wrong with any of your systems, I would have been at fault here, and that’s why I needed to know. Call me _weird_ , call me _gross_ , call me  _whatever you want_ , but I really do take my job seriously,” he says with a biting edge. “And...no matter what you may think of me or how much I might bother you..I really do care about you, sunshine,” 801S says, taking on a gentler tone. His voice cracks slightly at the end.

“That doesn’t mean you’re allowed to look into my private life whenever the hell you want! So _don’t_ make excuses. That’s something I don’t take lightly. Those memories are mine, and  _mine only_. Got it? No one but 2B should be allowed in them. My life is none of your concern, and you need to learn to mind your own fucking business for once. And I  _told you_  to not call me that!” 9S spits out. 

2B has never heard him so angry. What 801S did bothers her to no end too, but she doesn’t think he deserves this. She doesn’t know why 9S is so upset and being so abrasive, but it makes her anxious. 

After a long, dead silence, she hears a quiet sniffle.

9S gasps. “W-wait...801S, I’m sorry. Please don’t,” she hears him stand up from his place and take a couple footsteps. “I’m sorry,” he says in a hushed, gentle voice. “I’m really sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped-”

“Don’t touch me,” 801S mutters feebly in a brittle voice. 

“Okay...okay. At least, let me wipe your face. Hold on. I got some tissues in my bag,” there’s a short sound of shuffling and rummaging around. “Here,” he mutters. There’s a short silence. “There you go.”

There’s another sniffle. “Thanks.” 

“No problem," he says, still in that soft, gentle, soothing voice. A voice he usually uses with her, when they're alone. Something in her gut hurts. "Hey...just so you know. I really care about you too. Despite your endless teasing. It’s just that sometimes, you can really get on my nerves. But I didn’t mean any of the rude things I said, okay? I actually think you’re amazing and very talented at your job. Not to mention, a really great friend who I can _always_ rely on."

801S lets out a soft giggle. “Stop, you’re making me blush, pretty b- I mean...9S,” he clears his throat. 

9S chuckles. “You know what?” He sighs, “I’ll...let you call me Nines. Just so you stop calling me all sorts of sappy names.” 

801S gasps. “Really? But didn’t you say that was out of bounds?”

“Well...yeah. But I suppose it’s harmless if I let just  _one_  more friend call me that. I mean, nicknames are a thing friends call you, right? So, I think it’ll be fine if- Agh!”

“Thank you!” His voice sounds muffled. “Nines.”

An inexplicable sort of anger starts bubbling inside her, making her blood boil. She can’t really find a logical reason for it, but she just suddenly feels like running her sword through something. 

“Hehe alright, alright, ngh. Dude...you’re squishing me,” 9S says in a strained voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he chuckles softly and takes a step back. “Nines.”

9S lets out a gasp. “Aghh...thanks.”

“Hey so...uh. I know it’s none of my business, but if you don’t mind me asking. What’s going to happen now?” 801S asks.

“Huh?”

“With...”

“Oh. Um...I don’t really know. I mean we were...not exactly in our right minds in that moment, and you know how she is about the rules and all that. But she can also be pretty unpredictable at times, so...I have no way of knowing,” he lets out a long sigh. “In any case, I’ll continue being the best support I can be for her and taking care of her needs. No matter what.”

There’s a short silence.

“You really care about her, don’t you...” 801S mutters in a small voice. It wasn’t a question.

“Well...yeah. She’s my partner. I’m with her all the time, so, of course I care about her.”

801S lets out a dry laugh. “I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it.”

9S groans. “It’s. I mean. She...” 9S sighs. “I don’t really know how to explain it. I mean, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel something special for her. Something...very strong. It’s like a strange pull. I feel like I’ve known her since forever, even if I’ve actually only known her for a few weeks.”

All her anger melts away at once and she feels her chest tighten all of a sudden. She wishes she could reach out to him and hold him close.

801S lets out a soft sigh. “9S...” he whispers. 

“What? Too cheesy?”

“Nothing...never mind. You were saying?”

“Um, well. To answer the question. Yeah, I...I really do care about her.  _Terribly_  so. These days she won’t ever leave my mind...hhehheh, but I guess that’s pretty obvious now that you saw what happened,” 9S says nervously.

“It was obvious even before that, pretty boy.”

“Oh, c’mon! I thought you weren’t going to call me that anymore. And it’s not _that_ obvious.”

“You’ll always be ‘pretty boy’ to me,” he chuckles. “And it _is_  that obvious, specially to such a sharp scanner like me,” 801S says, going back to his teasing tone. 

9S groans. “Don’t push it now.”

“Hey, at least I don’t go bragging around about being ‘the best and most advanced scanner model,’” he says mockingly.

“I don’t say that! ...Much. But it’s not my fault, it’s the truth. I  _am_  the latest model,” He says defensively. 

The other laughs. “Don’t worry pretty boy, I’m not competing with you. I know you’re the best of the best. That’s why you’re my favorite,” he makes a kissy sound. 

9S groans. “Alriiight, uh. It’s been nice talking, but I have to do 2B’s maintenance now. So, would you mind giving us space for a moment?”

“...y-yeah. Sure.” His voice falls for a second. “I’ll see you later, Nines~” he says, immediately switching back to that flirty, honeyed tone of his. 

“See you around, dude.”

Footsteps echo in the room, followed by the sound of doors sliding open and closed. 9S’ footsteps approach her next, and she quickly adjusts her sound settings to mute. 

For a moment, she’s just left there inside her head to process all that happened while he conducts her maintenance. She has no idea how she’s going to approach this. What is she going to say to him? She doesn’t want to hurt him, which is precisely why she didn’t want to get close to him, but knowing everything she knows now...what was she to do? Just go back to being cold and distant with him and pretend nothing ever happened? It sounds like a plausible choice, but would she be able to follow through with it? An intimate relationship is out of the question. But what if...there could be a balance? She could still keep him at a distance, without needing to be harsh. She could allow him to get close, but not too close. No. That would be too much. But what if...what if things could be different this time? It’s something she hadn’t thought about before. Maybe if she acted friendlier, he would trust her more, and she could convince him to not get carried away by his curiosity, and she could stay with him longer.  It was at least worth a shot. Hopefully...

Her time to think it over was cut short as he finished up her maintenance.

_Hey 2B, I’m starting your boot sequence right now. Ready?_

_> Yes_

_Alright. Let’s start with your brightness settings then._

  * **☐ Brightness      IIIIII••••**



_Is that good?_

_> Yes_

_Okay. Now, voice recognition. I’ll call out to you now, tell me when you can hear me clearly._

“Hello there...can you hear me? Hello-”

  * **☐ Sound      IIIIIIIIII**



_> Done_

“Uh, alright. That was..a lot quicker than usual,” he clears his throat. “Anyway, uh..I’ll check your touch receptors now. I’ll tap your shoulders first, alright?”

...

“Did you feel that?”

_> Yes_

“Good. Now your arms. First the left...”

_> All good_

“Okay. Now the right...”

_> All good_

“Neat. Hands?” His hand squeeze both of hers lightly. First one and then the other.

_> Yes_

“Okay. N-now I’ll tap your forehead and cheeks.” His hand presses lightly to her forehead, and then his fingertips brush her cheeks softly. Not something he usually does at this point of the sequence. Usually it would just be a quick tap. Her pulse quickens slightly. “can you feel that?” 

_> Yeah_

“Okay. Now, your abdomen.” Again, instead of the usual shy, little, quick poke, his fingers press to her belly softly and linger for a couple seconds. “..Feel that?” He mutters with a hint of timidness. Her pulse keeps rising. 

_> Yeah_

“Alright...now. Legs. Uh, I’ll tap your knees, okay?” He presses his hand lightly over her left knee, and then her right, just a tiny bit higher than usual. “Feel that?”

_> Yes..._

He gasps. “2B, your pulse rate is way above normal range. You alright? Hold on, let me run a check.” He quickly shuffles through her settings again and makes sure everything is normal. “Huh, everything looks fine. Is something bothering you?”

_> I’m alright, 9S. _

“Uh...alright then. If you say so. You can get up now. Hold on, let me just close this, and...okay. All done.”

She opens her eyes slowly and blinks uncomfortably in the harsh light of the maintenance room. She sits up on the small bed and glances at 9S sitting on a chair in front of her. She quickly averts her gaze and grabs her visor from the side of the pillow and ties it back on. 

“So...” he beings and clears his throat. 

“M...” 

An awkward silence floods the room as they sit face to face, but not eye to eye. She looks down at her dress and fiddles with the fabric of her skirt. 

“D-do you...I mean...we....do you wanna talk about it, or...?” He trails off. 

“Not really...” she mutters.

“Okay...” he sighs. 

“But I suppose we should state our thoughts on the matter,” she says, trying to keep her voice as even as possible.

“Yeah...w-well, uh. I...” he lets out a shaky sigh.

“Mm...”

    “I just wanna say that-"

  “What happened today was-”

They both speak up at the same time and abruptly stop to let the other speak.

“Uh...you go first,” she says.

“No, it’s fine. You go first,” he replies.

She takes a deep breath and exhales in a moot attempt to calm her nerves. “Well...Today’s incident what a result of reckless usage of a beverage not meant for recreational purposes. However, none of us knew the exact extent of the side effects it could cause. Therefore no one is really at fault here. Nonetheless, we should have been more cautious,” she’s surprised at her own eloquence despite her nerves eating her up inside. “Nothing like this should ever happen again.” 

“Ngh, y-yeah...you’re right,” he mutters. “I just...really want to apologize for my actions. I don’t know why I did what I did, and everything was so confusing, but I went along with it anyway, and then it was like I couldn’t even control myself anymore and I’m just  _deeply_  sorry for..w-well...you know,” he chews on his lower lip and fiddles with a button on his coat. “You know I respect you a whole lot and...I’m just...I feel like I majorly screwed up and I’m awfully sorry,” he sighs and hangs his head.

“It’s. Fine...I mean, we did break a few rules, so it’s technically not, but...I partook in it too, so...I apologize for crossing the boundary as well.”

“Wait, y-you’re not angry at me?”

“No. Blaming you for something we both did wrong would be pointless.”

He lets out a shaky breath and runs his hand through his hair. “I’m glad.” He pauses for a second. “But...2B?”

“Hm?” 

“I...I also meant what I said before, when we were at the top of that building.”

“About the fish?” She asks with a puzzled look on her face. 

He snickers softly. “Well, yeah. That too. But what I meant was, I really do consider you as someone close, and someone I can trust. So...I-I just really hope things won’t change now after what happened,” he speaks softly. Cautiously, as if treading on thin ice. “I wouldn’t want us to grow distant because of this. I mean, we’re still partners after all...” he slowly looks up at her expectantly.

“I...” she sighs and bites down on her lower lip. So many thoughts run through her mind, and she wishes she could just somehow rewind everything and prevent that particular accident from ever happening. Although thinking back on it, she doesn’t know if she would just let happen all over again instead.

“W-we could just...I dunno, pretend it never happened and go on as usual?” He suggests while twirling a lose thread from his coat between his fingers. 

“If...if that’s what you’d like?” She asks hesitantly, gripping the edge of her skirt tightly.

“W-Would you? Or...I dunno, we could...we could...” he shifts uncomfortably in his seat. 

“I suppose...it’s for the best,” she replies softly and finally raises her head and looks at him warily.  

“Yeah...I guess...” he lowers his gaze.

There’s another short silence. 

“...9S?”

“Yeah?” He lifts his gaze back up.

“Nothing has changed. We...made a mistake. But...we’ll be fine. We’ll just be more careful from now on.”

He sighs and lets his shoulders relax. “Thank you. 2B.” he mutters in a low voice and offers a small smile. She returns it. 

As they walk out into the Terminal room, they see 801S sitting behind a counter and working on his holographic screens. He glances up as they approach.

“Hey...E-everything okay?” He asks with a bit of hesitation. 

9S nods. “All good. Thank you,” he smiles softly. 

He smiles back. “That’s good to hear. How about you, ma’am?” He turns to look at her. 

“Everything’s fine.”

“Cool,” he says nonchalantly and turns to 9S again. “Alright, come back anytime you need,” he smiles again and leans in a bit closer to him. “I’ll be waiting, Nines~” he mutters in an almost whisper. 

He snickers and shakes his head. “See you later, man,” he grins at him one more time and walks towards the elevator with 2B in tow. She briefly glances back at 801S and he...smirks. He fucking  _smirks_. She quickly whips her head back and clenches her teeth as she keeps walking towards the elevator, before she slowly comes to a stop. 

“9S?”

“Yeah?” He turns around, already at the doors.

“You go on ahead. Meet me at the hangar. I just need a word with your friend.”

“Uh...sure. I’ll wait for you there,” he says hesitantly.

She nods and turns to walk back as 9S disappears behind the doors. Her steps echo through the room, and she walks like a lioness in chase of her prey. Though his eyes are hidden, she can see the fear in his expression as she approaches. She rounds the makeshift counter and stops right in front of him, towering over him. His smirk from before is completely gone, and is replaced by a look of pure terror. 

“801S.”

“M-ma’am?” His jaw quivers slightly and he backs away until his back hits the counter.

“If any of this ever gets out, I will personally make sure you get the proper punishment. Is that clear?” she takes a step forward threateningly. 

He gulps. “Yes, ma’am,” he squeaks out.

“And one more thing.”

“Y-yeah?” 

She stares at him firmly for a moment, and almost feels sorry for how utterly terrified he looks. She sighs and looks at the ground, dropping her tough facade entirely. “Please...keep being a good friend to him. He needs it,” she says as she gazes back up at him, softening her expression. 

He relaxes a bit in turn. “Oh...alright. Um...and...c-can I keep calling him ‘Nines’?” He asks in a small voice, sounding more like a small child than a top-of-the-line scanner. “I won’t if it really bothers you, but...I just think it sounds cute. It suits him...” he mutters, looking down at his feet.

She hesitates for a moment, fighting the hot, searing anger starting to resurface. There is no rational reason to be angry at this boy. Logically, she knows that, but it was something she couldn’t help. Anyone else calling him by the nickname she gave him feels wrong. It should have only been hers to use. It’s a painful feeling, but it’s a kind of pain she’s not used to. She takes a deep breath and lets it out, pushing the feeling deep down. He clearly cares for 9S deeply, so resenting him would be ridiculous. 

“As long as he’s alright with it, you can call him anything you like,” she replies in a gentle tone.

He looks up at her again. “Thank you, ma’am,” he says in a cheerful tone.

“No, thank  _you_.”

He gives her a tiny smile and nods. She nods in return and turns to leave. 

“2B, Ma’am?” He calls out as she walks towards the exit. 

“Yes?” She turns on her heal. 

“Please...take care of him. I like to see him around, but preferably not for injuries,” he smiles softly.

“Will do,” she nods once before walking to the elevator.

 

She half-runs down the corridor and takes the elevator to the hangar to catch up with 9S. He’s standing near the flight units, playing a game in his hologram screen. When she arrives, he swipes it away and flashes a warm smile. She can barely contain the tiny grin on her lips. 

“So, what was that all about?”

“Nothing, just needed some things, that’s all,” she says as she walks up to her flight unit. 

“Oh, uh..alright. Ready to go?” He asks as he jumps up to his.

“Mhm... _pretty boy_ ,” she says, settling in place and starting the engine. Before he could respond, she was already out.

“Shit, wait, you heard?! He told you?! 2B, wait! 2B!” He shouts as he starts his flight unit and maneuvers his way out of the hangar to try to catch up with her, but she’s already too far ahead.

_“2Beee!”_

 

* * *

 

 

9S’ eyes are as wide as the sun when he comes back out of 2B’s memory logs. He lays there, frozen in place.

“Nines?” She mutters, still lying beside him. 

He immediately shuts his eyes tightly and rolls over to bury his face in the pillow. He groans and whines into it and mumbles something unintelligible. His ears are bright red. A thousand emotions burst inside him, and he doesn’t even know how to react to any of them.

2B laughs softly. “What was that?”

He starts shaking, trying to suppress his laughter, and moves his head to the side so he can face her. “I can’t believe what I just saw,” he snorts.

Her face turns bright red as she bites her lower lip, failing to hold back a tiny giggle. She looks away and back at him again, and back down, not being able to hold eye contact for more than a second. “So...how was it?” 

“I...whoa I...I never would have imagined...and we actually...and you...I mean...” he laughs. “So that’s where ‘Nines’ came from, huh?” He reaches out and strokes her hair gently.

She closes her eyes and covers her face with her hand. “Yeah...and then everyone started calling you that. It was all so absurd,” she shakes her head. 

“Awww, but I like it. And now I like it even  _more_ , now that I know it was  _you_  who came up with it,” he grins. 

She peeks out at him from between her fingers. “Seriously?”

He grins and leans in to plant a soft kiss on her forehead. “Yeah.”

She chuckles under her breath and moves her arm away from her face to wrap around him. “I’m glad then,” she sighs. “I’m glad I finally get to call you that.”

“Wait, so after that, you never called me Nines again?”

“No...I mean. I did, other...times. Just not during that one. But even when I did, it felt...off? Like I was doing something very wrong. Like I wasn’t allowed to, or  _shouldn’t_  have been allowed to. So most times, I didn’t.” She shuffles closer to him, snuggling in his embrace. 

“Aww, 2Beee,” he brings her closer and cuddles her tightly. “But, hey. Now you can call me Nines all the time,” he pulls away slightly to look at her face. 

“Yeah,” she smiles softly, “Nines.”

He grins and pecks her lips. “Say it again.”

“Nines.”

Another peck. “Again,” he whispers.

“Nines,” she grins and pecks him back. 

“Again,” another peck.

“Nines.” And another.

“Again.” And another.

“Nines,” she lets out a giggle and pecks his lips over and over, repeating his name through every tiny kiss. 

He smiles and captures her lips, pulling her into a deep kiss. “I love you so much,” he whispers as he pulls back. 

“I love you too,” she nuzzles his nose gently. 

He grins and runs his fingers up and down her spine lightly. They stay that way for a moment, just enveloping each other in warmth and affection, until a nagging question in his head makes him speak again.

“Hey, 2B?” 

“Hm?”

“Was I really that close to 801S?” 

She stops stroking his hair for a moment. “Oh...yeah. He...” she bites her lip and averts her gaze. 

“2B?”

“You were great friends. He...really cared about you,” she looked down at his neck and continued stroking his hair gently.

“So what happened? I just. I don’t remember ever being close to him at all. I mean, I guess we were friends, but he mostly kept to himself, and he wasn’t much for conversation. He was nothing like the one in your memory. Unless that was a different model and-“

“He wasn’t. He was the same one. But, I...” she sighs. “I suppose that’s also my fault. He...”

“You think he distanced himself from me...because I kept forgetting him...? Is that it?” 

She glances at him for a second and nods, looking back down. “And I know for a fact that he blamed me. He didn’t  _know_  about...you know. But he still blamed me. He didn’t exactly like me. I didn't  _dislike_ him, I was actually thankful that he could be there for you when I...couldn't. But...there was a bit of an unspoken rivalry between us. I could never really understand why. I think it might have been jealousy. I envied how playful and carefree he could be around you. And, I guess he envied me in a way too. Buuut that’s another story, for another time,” she says as she looks up at him again and pecks his lips. 

“2Beee,” he pouts slightly.

She shakes her head. “We can’t just lie here all day, Nines,” she says as she starts disentangling herself from him, trying to avoid any more questions.

“We totally can,” He pulls her back in and traps her in a tight embrace. 

“Niiines,” She chuckles softly. 

“I’m not letting go,” he smirks.

“Not even if I do...this?” She sneaks her hand beneath his shirt and wriggles her fingers over the sides of his ribs, causing him to twist and writhe beneath her.

“AH! Ahahahaha, stooop! Okay, okay! Stop!” He cries and lets go of her.

She snickers and sits up again. “Come on, let’s go outside and look for something to do,” she offers him a smile.

He groans. “Can’t we just stay in here?”

“Well, you can, if you want. But you’d be in here...alone...” she raises her brow at him. “Unless you come along.”

He sighs and stretches out his limbs. “Fiiine, let’s go,” he stands up and yawns as he walks to their clothes cabinet. 

 

As he’s getting ready to leave, he thinks about the memory, trying to process everything he just saw. It all felt so familiar, and yet, so foreign. He knows for a fact that he had never experienced that, at least not during this life cycle. And yet, he feels as if he’s merely just watched a retelling of a dream long forgotten. Maybe, he hopes, that if they keep doing this, he’ll gain all those memories back. If they were even  _his_  to begin with. 

“Nines?”

“Y-yeah?” He looks up.

“Having trouble strapping your boots?” She asks, waiting by the door already dressed and ready to leave. 

“I’m fine, sorry,” he blushes slightly as he finishes up and walks over to her. “Let’s go,” he opens the door for her, but before she walks out, she pulls him in for a sweet, tender kiss.

She smiles at his goofy little grin and dreamy face and takes his hand in hers. “I know you still have a lot of questions and things you want to know, and I’ll share everything with you eventually. I just need you to give me time, Nines. I’m still trying to get used to even showing you how I feel. So...please be patient,” she asks, locking her eyes with his.

“I know, I know. I will, 2B,” he sighs. 

“Nines?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you," she lifts his chin up and plants a soft kiss on his lips. 

“I love you too,” he smiles, returning the kiss.

 

Three nearby resistance members squeal and gush at them. They both gasp and turn beet red as they awkwardly scurry away and out of the camp, giggling like the school children from ancient times. No one would ever take this away from them ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Please tell what you think and stuff! Also, if anyone has any prompts for memories, you can leave them here, or at my [tumblr](http://xanderbot13.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Second one's coming soon. If you liked my thing, please let me know. Even if it's just with a little happy face. Comments are always welcome. Except for rude comments. Those aren't welcome. I'm also always up for talking about anything, it doesn't even have to be NieR it can be about the weather in Mars or whatever idk. Tell me about your day.  
> What's YOUR favorite color?  
> I don't even like fish and chips.  
> Ok now I'm just rambling. Sorry, I haven't slept in millennia.  
> Have a good day and Happy Birthday


End file.
